Xiaomi fixes privacy issues, makes its MIUI messaging optional

Xiaomi is on a rise in China, and as such, the company is looking for different ways to stand out from the boatload of competitors it has in Asia. We’ve had some quality hands on time with the Xiaomi Redmi 1S a couple of weeks ago, and while we weren’t wowed, this is a decent phone for its intended market. Sadly the company faced a couple of privacy concerns a couple of days ago, and the company’s VP and ex-Googler Hugo Barra just came on record to give us a status.

Xiaomi was under F-Secure’s radar recently because the device’s MIUI would phone home to Beijing and share your phone and contact information without your consent, and in an unencrypted manner. Hugo Barra explained that this service would do so in order to find ways to route a user’s SMS messages through the Internet, just like Apple does through iMessage.

As a solution the company has decided to send a patch to existing Xiaomi devices running its MIUI in order to make this feature optional, and to also encrypt the user information of those who decide to opt in. If you’re currently using a Xiaomi Redmi 1S, or any other Xiaomi phone running MIUI, make sure you look out for the patch.

Jaime has been a fan of technology since he got his first computer when he was 12, and has followed the evolution of mobile technology from the PDA to everything we see today. As our Multimedia Manger, he’s been in-charge of growing our YouTube hobby into one of the biggest video channels in the industry. When he’s not building one of our videos, or filming our Pocketnow Daily, he can be found in his second biggest passion, which is running and fitness. Read more about Jaime Rivera!